Because You're My Friend
by rock of shiny
Summary: Ten years after the game, Neku dies in an accident and meets Joshua again.


Not many people have the rare opportunity to witness a friend's death. Some shudder in silence, unable to erase their friend's dying face from their aching memory. Others cry out in agony, unable to understand why, out of all the people in the world, detach had to choose their friend. But the unnerving expression that crossed Joshua's face as he watched Neku die was not of sorrow or pain, but a smile of pure bliss.

It had been over ten years since Neku had last seen Joshua, but a mere 48 hours since Joshua had seen Neku. Times had changed, now Neku was one of Japan's youngest and most famous producers. Although Neku didn't have any sort of remarkable talent himself, he seemed to have uncanny luck with sniffing out talent. Every talent he picked out, whether it be a singer, an artist or a comedian dominated 2chan message boards within several months of discovery. Rumor had it that Neku sold his soul for his talent searching abilities linking it to a near death experience a little more than ten years ago.

Neku hadn't sold his soul but in hindsight the his life made a complete turnabout in those teenage years. He had spent almost every waking hour in Shibuya back then. he still drove through Shibuya on his way to work, but rarely set foot into the crowded shopping district unless he was scouting. Now was one of those rare the moment, Neku was strolling through Scramble Crossing, smoothing out his straight black hair as he walked. One moment he was wondering whether his favorite chill dog store was still open and the next moment he was…

* * *

Facing Joshua was quite a shock for Neku. He hadn't changed a yoctogram. Same foreign looking poofy hair, a blond so light, it almost looked white. Same plain collared shirt, same ordinary black slacks, same Joshua not a day over fifteen. And suddenly, Neku realized how much he had changed as the thin lines of Joshua's mouth morphed into his signature cheeky smirk.

"It's been awhile hasn't it Neku?"

"Yeah, it has" Neku replied pensively. He didn't know whether to hug Joshua or to slap him and the more he thought about it, the more his expression soured.

"Players don't usually get a welcome from the Composer himself", said Neku coldly. Joshua chuckled.

"Neku dear, you're definitely not an ordinary player".

"But I'm dead aren't I?"

"You're dead, but you're not a player. Look around Neku. You're not in Scramble Crossing anymore".

So he did. And as Neku gazed at the dull concrete walls surrounding him a damp stench filled his nostrils. If he suited a bit, he could imagine a door appear at the center of the room.

"Shibuya River"

"The very same".

"Is there a reason why I'm here?" Neku asked guarded.

"As I said earlier, you're not a player. You've already survived three games, I don't think it'd be very fair, to you or to the other players to make you play through one more. So here we are the invisible scale of justice in my hand, ready to deliver your eternal fate".

Something clicked in the clockwork of Neku's mind.

"Now I know you've made quite a name for yourself as a producer up there, but seeing as Mr. H has the position covered…" Joshua looked up a Neku pausing for emphasis.

"You're going to erase me."

"I'm going to make you my Conductor"

"What!"

""That's ridiculous!"

"You're ridiculous!"

Joshua's smug smirk quickly faded into a frown. "You can't seriously think I'd erase you Neku. You won the game three times. You probably have more imagination than all of my Reapers combined".

"Is that why you don't want to erase me?", asked Neku accusingly, " Because I'm powerful? Because I have imagination?'

"No I…" And finally Joshua realized that the jokes Hanekoma taunted him with were true. "It's because you're my friend ok."

Neku blinked twice.

"You really do care don't you Joshua. About Shibuya, about me, I thought it all was a game to you. Remember that day, maybe two weeks after the game? I asked you to meet me at Hachiko. I felt kind of stupid at first, especially when you didn't show up, but then I realized that you probably had more important things to do. So I asked you time and time again not knowing if you could hear me. And Beat, Rhyme and Shiki always showed up, but you were never there. I know I never said it to you Joshua, but I wanted to be friends."

Seconds wound into minutes yet Joshua said nothing. "You should become Conductor" he said at last, finally breaking the silence.

"Is there another way? Besides erasure and becoming a Reaper?" Neku asked, shivering in anticipation.

"I'm sorry Neku, I can't bring you back to life."

"Then I choose erasure" Neku announced calmly. "Those three weeks… I made it through but they were very hard for me. I can't spend an eternity running the game, erasing players. I can't be the person in charge of the game I still have nightmares about".

"You spent those three weeks fighting for your life! You would have done anything back then to avoid erasure. Don't you understand Neku? If I break down your soul, you disappear. There's nothing after that. Neku Sakuraba ceases to exist".

Neku's expression faded into a warm smile. "That's not true Joshua, I'll still exist," he said, thinking of memories of Rhyme. "I'll just be a little… different". Joshua watched as Neku's eye's glowed with wisdom far greater than expected of the twenty-six year old man standing before him. It suddenly hit Joshua; this was not the same Neku he fought with all those years ago. Gone was the spiky orange, hair. Gone was the scowl constantly plastered on Neku's face. Gone were the headphones that blocked out the world. This was a Neku that took everything in.

"Erase me" Neku said one last time, and although he didn't want to , Joshua knew what he had to do...

* * *

"Where am I?" Neku asked no one in particular, waking up from a daze. "Who am I?" he asked again, this time directing his question to Joshua.

"You're Neku Sakuraba. It seems like you've had a bad case of amnesia. You're what's called the Conductor in the Reaper's Game. I know it's a bit much to digest, but you'll be fine, you're a quick learner. If you ever have any trouble picking things up feel free to ask me anything. I suppose you could also ask Kariya, kinda tall, orange hair like you but not as spiky. He was Conductor before you so he can show you the ropes."

"Ok thanks but, who are you?"

"Me, I'm your friend Joshua of course".

_I never met with you because Hanekoma said to let you move on with your life. I listened to him back then, but this time I'm making my own choices. And I choose you Neku, because you're my friend._

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